6 / 10
Drummond does not shy away from these thorny areas and the play is at its strongest when it lets uncomfortable, conflicting opinions hang in the air. But, despite a cracker of a final scene, with so much information stuffed into its structure, the overall impact feels more like an overly tailored education than fluid drama.
6 / 10
But, packing this divisive conversation into 80 minutes is a tough task. It’s not enough time. This is my main critique - it never feels like we really get to the crux of the issues at hand. If this is a play about stepping out of the echo chamber and encouraging us to challenge our strongly held beliefs, the play stops just at the point where this conversation begins. It’s rare nowadays to spend time with people (outside of X, formerly known as Twitter) who genuinely believe something different to ourselves - and spend the time listening to the reasons behind their opinions. But with Pins and Needles, the 3 characters rarely interact, and the story stops at the point where the threads of the story begin to intersect: where the most difficult conversation begins. This leaves the play feeling too predictable, and more of a (really great) introduction to the conversation, history and the science surrounding vaccination.
See what the critics are saying about Pins and Needles at the Kiln Theatre. Read the reviews for Rob Drummond's play, starring Richard Cant, and learn more about the production.
New play packs plenty of ethical questions into an engaging and fascinating production that offers much to think about on the way home
Rob Drummond’s new play, Pins and Needles, will premiere in Amit Sharma’s inaugural season at the Kiln Theatre on Wednesday 25 September.
| 1937 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
| 1978 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway Revival Off-Broadway |
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